Baltimore, MD (June 23, 2009) – The founder and creative director of the award-winning Madhouse Studios, Masao Maruyama, a recurring guest and longtime friend of the convention, will make his seventh appearance in Baltimore at Otakon 2009.

The founder of Madhouse Studios, Maruyama has had a hand in the Japanese animation industry for almost forty years. Maruyama was born in 1941 in the Miyagi Prefecture. After graduation from Hosei University in 1963, he went to work as an animator for Mushi Production. He later went on to help produce Unico, based on a story by Osamu Tezuka, of Astro Boy fame. In 1972, Maruyama had a direct hand in the establishment of the burgeoning new animation studio Madhouse, and in 1980 he was inducted into the board of directors. Maruyama brings a high level of quality to every production, whether television, OAV, or theatrical release. Regardless of the subject matter, Madhouse always brings something new to the table, and is internationally known for exceptional animation. Maruyama is also acknowledged for his eye in finding young talent to bring into Madhouse; under his creative guidance, talents like Satoshi Kon and Atsuko Ishizuka have flourished. Since Madhouse's inception, Maruyama has produced an impressive library of animation, including Barefoot Gen, Dagger of Kamui, Record of Lodoss Wars, Urusei Yatsura, Vampire Hunter D, Ninja Scroll, Cardcaptor Sakura, Trigun, Perfect Blue, X, Boogiepop Phantom, Chobits, PitaTen, Abenobashi Maho Shotengai, Ninja Scroll, Dragon Drive, Gungrave, Gunslinger Girl, Black Lagoon, Kiba, Nana, Tokyo Tribe 2, Beck, Monster, Highlander: Search for Vengeance, Devil May Cry, Death Note, and Red Line. Currently Madhouse is producing a project very close to Maruyama's heart, Stitch! Another of Maruyama's more recent projects is another animated short for Otakon, following the success of last year. For more information about Madhouse, visit http://www.madhouse.co.jp.
Otakon 2009 will be held July 17-19 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its sixteenth year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's few large, city-wide events, drawing over 22,000 individual members for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 60,000 "turnstile" attendees). Otakon is a membership-based convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.
For more information about Otakorp, Inc., see http://www.otakon.com/otakorp/index.asp
For more information and the latest news on Otakon 2009, see http://www.otakon.com/

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